When It Comes to a Summer Glow, I Only Trust These 10 Australian Beauty Products
My newest obsessions.
My beauty routine gets a total 180 makeover the second Memorial Day passes—I take a summer glow (and sun protection) very seriously. So this week, I tossed heavy moisturizers for a lightweight one, ditched foundation altogether in favor of skin tints, and started taking my go-to air-dry hair products and slick-back sticks out of storage. I try to be as easy-breezy with my beauty routine as I can muster (I’m just a high-maintenance girl at heart), and recently that’s meant using a ton of Australian beauty products.
Maybe it’s because I’m very much so on Aussie girl glam TikTok, or that the country just knows how to make a damn good sunscreen, but I have been spending every second of my free time digging through Reddit threads to find the best Aussie beauty brands available stateside. “We lean towards lightweight skincare that keeps the skin hydrated and plump, with breathable one-layer makeup that still looks fresh by the end of the day,” makeup artist Tanielle Jai previously told MC. From pretty mainstream ones like Ultra Violette to newcomers like TanFan (this brand is genius) and Slickhair, shop my favorite new discoveries ahead.
Don’t Sleep on This Skincare
The US certainly isn’t known for having strict beauty regulations—you really have to trust that the brand you’re buying from does its due diligence on clinical trials, verifying claims, and ingredient safety. In Australia? Every brand has to go through the Therapeutic Goods Administration—and they run a tight ship. If a bottle claims it makes skin more hydrated, plumper, or more radiant, it has to prove it.
This vegan face mist, formulated with chamomile and rose water, has taken up permanent residence in my beach bag. It’s incredibly refreshing, doesn’t mess with my makeup, and gives my skin an added dose of hydration after a salty swim in the ocean.
Dull skin is a big no-go in my book, so I make sure to exfoliate at least once a week in the summer. Nobody’s nobody makes this leave-on exfoliant, which is not only very reasonably priced but also a miracle worker at de-clogging pores.
Sleeper Hits for Hairstyling
It’s nice and toasty down under, so their hairstyling products are built to withstand crazy heat and humidity. If you want your slicked-back bun to be flyaway-free or your frizz to stay minimal, try these.
If you’re new here, I’ve been on a pretty intense hair growth journey for the past two years. It’s going well (yay!), but it’s also left with some wild baby hairs that make a sleek, slicked-back bun a major challenge. This gel has been the only product that has kept those alfalfa sprouts pinned down.
I’ve been obsessed with Monday Haircare for a few years now—their prices continue to amaze me. The Australia-based brand excels at volume-boosting products, and this is my all-time favorite when I’m letting my hair fend for itself. It gives me great texture, pretty waves, and more grit than I’d get naturally.
SPF, Obviously
Australia has one of the highest rates of skin cancer in the world (its UV index is frequently very high), so its cosmetic chemists have had to work twice as hard at formulating elegant yet incredibly effective formulas. Dare I say I like these just as much as K-Beauty sunscreens?
My skin is super sensitive, so sunscreen is typically a tricky one. I need a non-comedogenic, fragrance-free formula that still feels luxe and layers well under makeup. This baby fits the bill. Bonus: there’s no greasy residue.
A Moment for Makeup
If you’re even remotely tapped into the Aussie Girl Makeup Trend, you know the drill: skin tints over foundation, bronzer over contour, and lots of highlighter. These are my go-tos to get the job done.
Try wearing medium coverage foundation in 100-degree heat. It’s not fun. That’s where this uber-lightweight BB cream comes into play. It provides incredible coverage (my dark spots totally vanish), but it feels like I’m wearing nothing.
Don’t Skip Your Body
Since I’ll be wearing only shorts and skirts for the foreseeable future, I’m giving my skin some extra TLC from the neck down.
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I’m not a huge self-tanner person during the year (the smell really gets to me), but in the summer I like to have at least a hint of bronze. But because I’m a good, rule-following beauty editor, I really try to stay out of the sun. For the few occasions I do self-tan, I make sure to sleep in this sack so my sheets stay clean.
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Samantha Holender is the Senior Beauty Editor at Marie Claire, where she reports on the best new launches, dives into the science behind skincare, and shares the breakdown on the latest and greatest trends in the beauty space. She's studied up on every ingredient you'll find on INCI list and is constantly in search of the world's glowiest makeup products. She's constantly tracking the biggest nail and hair trends to pop up in the beauty space, going backstage during fashion weeks, tracking celebrity looks, and constantly talking to celebrity hair stylists, nail artists, and makeup artists. Prior to joining the team, she worked as Us Weekly’s Beauty and Style Editor, where she stayed on the pulse of pop culture and broke down celebrity beauty routines, hair transformations, and red carpet looks. Her words have also appeared on Popsugar, Makeup.com, Skincare.com, Delish.com, and Philadelphia Wedding. Samantha also serves as a board member for the American Society of Magazine Editors (ASME). She first joined the organization in 2018, when she worked as an editorial intern at Food Network Magazine and Pioneer Woman Magazine. Samantha has a degree in Journalism and Mass Communications from The George Washington University’s School of Media and Public Affairs. While at GWU, she was a founding member of the school’s HerCampus chapter and served as its President for four years. When she’s not deep in the beauty closet or swatching eyeshadows, you can find her obsessing over Real Housewives and all things Bravo. Keep up with her on Instagram @samholender.